Mum Of Kid In H&M Advert Receiving Racist Abuse From People Who Defend...

Mum Of Kid In H&M Advert Receiving Racist Abuse From People Who Defended Her Son

The mother of the H&M child model embroiled in a race row has now received racist abuse online from those who defended her son.

In a ridiculous display of irony – and shocking double standards – Terry Mango, of Stockholm, Sweden, has been targeted by racist trolls online, after she spoke out about her son’s participation in a misguided fashion shoot for H&M.

H&M were branded racially insensitive, ‘disgusting’ and negligent after selecting Mango’s child to model a jumper emblazoned with the slogan: ‘Coolest Monkey in the Jungle’, with many pointing out ‘monkey’ has long been used as a racist slur.

HM.com

Two white children were also styled wearing similar jumpers, with the slogans ‘Mangrove jungle’ and ‘Official survival expert’, and the oversight was glaringly painful to many commentators.

However, Mango did not agree and took to Facebook to defend the ad, saying the backlash to the image was ‘unnecessary’ and urging critics, including global superstars, to ‘stop crying wolf’ and ‘get over it’.

Terry Mango/Facebook

Mango wrote:

That’s my son…av [sic] been to all photo shoots and this was not an exception, everyone is entitled to their opinion about this.

This is one of hundreds of outfits my son has modelled… stop crying Wolf all the time, unnecessary issue.

You cannot try to defend my son and use the same words to describe me.

Clay Onyango/Facebook

Meanwhile, Mango’s uncle, Kenyan-born music promoter Clay Onyango, said the family had spoken to H&M and believe the brand had not intended to be racist, but added there are still questions in need of answers.

Onyango told Gulf News:

I think they overlooked it. Maybe it’s just one of those mistakes that one makes. But there are many questions you can ask – how did they miss that?

It’s a sentiment echoed by many on Twitter:

In the year 2018 there’s no way brands/art directors can be this negligent and lack awareness. If look at other sweaters in same category they have white kids. We have to do better. pic.twitter.com/Av4bS4t6yn

The insensitive styling choices have caused such global backlash online, P Diddy, who owns the fashion line Sean John, passed judgement. He posted a painting of the young boy, modelling a jumper more befitting.

In the caption Diddy demanded H&M ‘put some respect on it’, adding:

When you look at us make sure you see royalty and super natural God sent glory!! Anything else is disrespectful.

Still, the apology has been met with much online controversy and many, including Romelu Lukaku, have set about correcting their mistake, just like Diddy.

The Manchester United striker took matters into his own hands and doctored the image in the best way, changing the slogan to ‘Black is Beautiful’.

Meanwhile, The Weeknd, real name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, who launched his debut line with the Swedish brand in 2017, has repealed his collaborative efforts with H&M since the backlash.

Getty

The Weeknd had been working as a collaborator with H&M on the XO clothing line, but told his eight million Twitter followers he was ‘deeply offended’ by the photo in the online shopping section of the website and was cutting ties.

He took to Twitter to say:

Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. I’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore.

woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore… pic.twitter.com/P3023iYzAb